NY State Senate Bill 2015-S4285A

Archive: Last Bill Status - In Senate Committee Rules Committee

Introduced
- In Committee Assembly
- In Committee Senate
- On Floor Calendar Assembly
- On Floor Calendar Senate
- Passed Assembly
- Passed Senate
Delivered to Governor
Signed By Governor

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Actions

View Actions

Date of Action	Assembly Actions - Lowercase Senate Actions - UPPERCASE
Jun 17, 2016	committed to rules
May 18, 2016	advanced to third reading
May 17, 2016	2nd report cal.
May 16, 2016	1st report cal.874
Mar 17, 2016	print number 4285a
Mar 17, 2016	amend and recommit to civil service and pensions
Jan 06, 2016	referred to civil service and pensions
Mar 11, 2015	referred to civil service and pensions

Votes

- May 16, 2016 - Civil Service And Pensions Committee Vote
  S4285A
  
  Aye
  
  9
  
  Nay
  
  0
  
  Aye with Reservations
  
  2
  
  Absent
  
  0
  
  Excused
  
  0
  
  Abstained
  
  0
  - - Civil Service And Pensions Committee Vote: May 16, 2016
      
      aye (9)
      
      Addabbo Jr.
      
      Croci
      
      Golden
      
      Lanza
      
      Ortt
      
      Persaud
      
      Ritchie
      
      Sanders Jr.
      
      Savino
      
      aye wr (2)
      
      Comrie
      
      Martins

Bill Amendments

Original

A (Active)

2015-S4285 - Details

Current Committee:: Senate Rules
Law Section:: Retirement
Versions Introduced in 2017-2018 Legislative Session:: S1872

2015-S4285 - Summary

Prohibits the unilateral diminution of health insurance benefits of public employee retirees and their dependents or reducing the employer's contributions for such insurance from May 1, 2008 until May 15, 2017; defines employers to include the state, municipalities, school districts, and public authorities and commissions.

2015-S4285 - Sponsor Memo

2015-S4285 - Bill Text download pdf

                            
                    S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
________________________________________________________________________

                                  4285

                       2015-2016 Regular Sessions

                            I N  S E N A T E

                             March 11, 2015
                               ___________

Introduced  by  Sen.  AVELLA -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
  printed to be committed to the Committee on Civil Service and Pensions

AN ACT in relation  to  affecting  the  health  insurance  benefits  and
  contributions of certain retired public employees

  THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

  Section 1. From May 1, 2008 until May  15,  2015,  a  public  employer
shall  be  prohibited  from  diminishing  the  health insurance benefits
provided to retirees and their  dependents  or  the  contributions  such
employer  makes  for  such  health insurance coverage below the level of
such benefits or contributions made on behalf of such retirees and their
dependents by such employer unless a corresponding diminution  of  bene-
fits  or  contributions is effected from the appropriate level as of May
1, 2008 during this period by such employer from the corresponding group
of active employees for such retirees. For  the  purpose  of  this  act,
"public  employer" shall mean the following: (i) the state; (ii) a coun-
ty, city, town or village; (iii) a school district, board of cooperative
educational services, vocational education  and  extension  board  or  a
school district as enumerated in section 1 of chapter 566 of the laws of
1967,  as  amended;  (iv) any governmental entity operating a college or
university; (v) a public improvement or special district; (vi) a  public
authority,  commission or public benefit corporation; or (vii) any other
public corporation, agency, instrumentality or unit of government  which
exercises governmental power under the laws of this state.
  S  2.  Nothing  contained  in this act shall supersede or diminish the
terms of a collective bargaining agreement.
  S 3. This act shall take effect immediately and  shall  be  deemed  to
have been in full force and effect on and after May 1, 2008.


 EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                      [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                           LBD05124-01-5

co-Sponsors

2015-S4285A (ACTIVE) - Details

Current Committee:: Senate Rules
Law Section:: Retirement
Versions Introduced in 2017-2018 Legislative Session:: S1872

2015-S4285A (ACTIVE) - Summary

2015-S4285A (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

                                 BILL NUMBER:  S4285A

 TITLE OF BILL :

An act in relation to affecting the health insurance benefits and
contributions of certain retired public employees

 PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL :

This bill prohibits the diminution of health insurance benefits of
public employee retirees.

 SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS :

The bill enacts an unconsolidated law which, for the period May 1,
2008 until May 15, 2017, prohibits a public employer from diminishing
the health insurance benefits provided to retirees and their
dependents or reducing the contributions that the public employer
makes toward these benefits, unless also making an equivalent change
for active employees.

 EXISTING LAW :

Chapter 729 of the Laws of 1994, as last amended by Chapter 22 of the
Laws of 2007, provides this protection for retirees of school
districts.

 JUSTIFICATION :

Health insurance coverage is a critical issue for retirees, who often
face tremendous health care costs at a time of severely diminished
income. Continuation of health insurance after retirement is provided
for some retirees by statute and for some others by union contract
This legislation seeks to protect health insurance coverage for all
public sector retirees. It provides that a public employer may not
unilaterally reduce benefit coverage or employer contributions unless
making a parallel reduction for active employees. This does not
prevent public employers from reducing benefits as a cost-cutting
measure, but does, in effect; require that any such reductions be the
result of union negotiations. Absent this, the Taylor Law prohibits
public employee unions from negotiating on behalf of retirees. This
bill also specifically recognizes union contracts which may, now or in
the future, provide stronger benefits for retirees covered by the
contracts. A similar law has protected school district retirees since
1994.

 PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY :

2015/16: A2336 (Crouch)

 FISCAL IMPLICATIONS :

None. This is not a fiscal mandate, as the State remains free to
reduce health insurance costs either through amendments to the Civil
Service law or through public employee negotiations.

 EFFECTIVE DATE :
This act shall take effect immediately and shall be deemed to have
been in full force and effect on and after May 1, 2008.

2015-S4285A (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

                            
                    S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
________________________________________________________________________

                                 4285--A

                       2015-2016 Regular Sessions

                            I N  S E N A T E

                             March 11, 2015
                               ___________

Introduced  by  Sen.  AVELLA -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
  printed to be committed to the Committee on Civil Service and Pensions
  -- recommitted to the Committee  on  Civil  Service  and  Pensions  in
  accordance  with  Senate  Rule 6, sec. 8 -- committee discharged, bill
  amended, ordered reprinted as amended and recommitted to said  commit-
  tee

AN  ACT  in  relation  to  affecting  the  health insurance benefits and
  contributions of certain retired public employees

  THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

  Section  1.  From  May  1,  2008 until May 15, 2017, a public employer
shall be prohibited  from  diminishing  the  health  insurance  benefits
provided  to  retirees  and  their  dependents or the contributions such
employer makes for such health insurance coverage  below  the  level  of
such benefits or contributions made on behalf of such retirees and their
dependents  by  such employer unless a corresponding diminution of bene-
fits or contributions is effected from the appropriate level as  of  May
1, 2008 during this period by such employer from the corresponding group
of  active  employees  for  such  retirees. For the purpose of this act,
"public employer" shall mean the following: (i) the state; (ii) a  coun-
ty, city, town or village; (iii) a school district, board of cooperative
educational  services,  vocational  education  and  extension board or a
school district as enumerated in section 1 of chapter 566 of the laws of
1967, as amended; (iv) any governmental entity operating  a  college  or
university;  (v) a public improvement or special district; (vi) a public
authority, commission or public benefit corporation; or (vii) any  other
public  corporation, agency, instrumentality or unit of government which
exercises governmental power under the laws of this state.
  S 2. Nothing contained in this act shall  supersede  or  diminish  the
terms of a collective bargaining agreement.
  S 3.  This  act  shall  take effect immediately and shall be deemed to
have been in full force and effect on and after May 1, 2008.

 EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                      [ ] is old law to be omitted.

                                                           LBD05124-04-6

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Senate Bill S4285A

Sponsored By

Archive: Last Bill Status - In Senate Committee Rules Committee

Actions

Votes

May 16, 2016 - Civil Service And Pensions Committee Vote

Civil Service And Pensions Committee Vote: May 16, 2016

Bill Amendments

2015-S4285 - Details

2015-S4285 - Summary

2015-S4285 - Sponsor Memo

2015-S4285 - Bill Text download pdf

co-Sponsors

2015-S4285A (ACTIVE) - Details

2015-S4285A (ACTIVE) - Summary

2015-S4285A (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

2015-S4285A (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

Comments

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Sponsored By

Tony Avella

Archive: Last Bill Status - In Senate Committee Rules Committee

Actions

Votes

Bill Amendments

2015-S4285 - Details

2015-S4285 - Summary

2015-S4285 - Sponsor Memo

2015-S4285 - Bill Text download pdf

co-Sponsors

Jesse Hamilton

Kevin S. Parker

2015-S4285A (ACTIVE) - Details

2015-S4285A (ACTIVE) - Summary

2015-S4285A (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

2015-S4285A (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

Comments